


In Unforgotten Arms

by Higuchimon



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
Genre: Diversity Writing Challenge, During Canon, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:54:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25077955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Higuchimon/pseuds/Higuchimon
Summary: While Chronos and Hayato duel, Fubuki and Ryou spend some long-awaited time together, that Ryou wasn’t even aware that he missed until he didn’t anymore.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	In Unforgotten Arms

**Title:** In Unforgotten Arms  
 **Characters:** Ryou, Fubuki  
 **Word Count:** 1,500  
 **Genre:** Friendship|| **Rated:** G  
 **Challenges:** Diversity Writing, GX canon, C20, gaining an understanding for something  
 **Notes:** This is set more or less during Hayato’s duel with Chronos and covers one iteration of what Ryou & Fubuki could be up to at this point. It’s a rewrite of a fic I did _many_ years ago. The original was R rated and involved implied sex, but when I sat down to rewrite it, I decided that wasn’t what I wanted to write for this version of it. So it’s all friendship and cuddles.  
 **Summary:** While Chronos and Hayato duel, Fubuki and Ryou spend some long-awaited time together, that Ryou wasn’t even aware that he missed until he didn’t anymore.

* * *

Ryou did not let himself relax. He hadn’t let himself relax in well over a year, perhaps close to two. How could he, when he’d lost two of his best friends? It wasn’t as if he were close to that many people. When one was as talented as he was, people had a tendency more to admire one than to want to be friends. Fubuki had been an exception. So had Yuusuke and Asuka. Juudai seemed to be one as well, though Ryou wasn’t entirely sure about that. 

What he did know for certain was that his time at this school was almost at an end, and he would leave them all behind. Fubuki still needed to finish his education here. Asuka, Shou, and Juudai would all remain here for a while. 

And he would go on to the Pro Leagues. He hadn’t yet signed his first contract but he wouldn’t legally be allowed until he was eighteen. There were only a handful of pro duelists under eighteen and there were certain qualifications for those – usually being emancipated or not having parents for one reason or another. Some of those were the best of the best, because they needed to be. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t remain in the Pros for very long. 

He wouldn’t be able to relax once he was there, either. Not very often, at least. After victories, but other than that? Not very likely. He might have brief intervals but for the most part, this was the beginning of his adult life. 

Familiar fingers rested against the back of his neck. He didn’t move at all as Fubuki began to gently massage his shoulders and neck. 

“How long has it been since you had someone do this?” Fubuki asked. “Because you are so knotted up back here.” 

Ryou wanted to stay as rigid as he could. He’d gotten so used to being rigid that he wasn’t certain if he knew how to being anything else. But Fubuki’s fingers knew their way around his tight muscles better than anyone else. 

“Not since you vanished. Remember that night?” Ryou managed to get the words out, even though all he really wanted right now was just to close his eyes and melt into that gentle touch. 

Fubuki nodded, and while Ryou couldn’t see him, he could feel the warmth of his oldest friend’s smile. That had been a good night. He and Fubuki studied together, preparing for one of the more important tests. The evening had only been tainted by the recent disappearance of Yuusuke. 

Everything about that time frame disturbed Ryou even now. Fubuki hadn’t mentioned anything about Yuusuke since he’d recovered himself. Ryou wanted to ask – wanted to see if Fubuki knew anything at all about what happened. But the few light queries he’d managed to insert into conversations told him Fubuki either knew nothing or just didn’t remember. 

But one thing Fubuki hadn’t forgotten was just where all of Ryou’s tensions congregated and now his warm fingers pressed and massaged and worked out all of those hard knots. Ryou wanted to remain a little tense. But he relaxed regardless. 

“If you’re this tense, I’m going to have to start visiting you on the weekends,” Fubuki observed, kneading over and over. “The Pros aren’t going to be easy on you.” 

Ryou made a sort of noise. He couldn’t have said what the noise meant, only that it came out of his throat. If he’d been pressed to identify it, then he would have considered something to the effect of mild agreement. Whatever it was, Fubuki chuckled in answer. 

That got actual words out of Ryou. “It shouldn’t be that bad.” He couldn’t remember when he’d lost a duel. Technically he’d lost to Camula but he’d long since decided not to count that one. She hadn’t played fair. When he and his opponent respected one another, his undefeated streak stretched back to his childhood. 

Fubuki patted him on the shoulder. “I believe in you. You’re going to blow them all away.” 

It wasn’t the first time Fubuki had ever told him something like that. But it was the first time in a very long time and Ryou savored the words as much as he savored the salt taste of the ocean on his lips and tongue and the wafting of the wind against his ears. Being here under the lighthouse almost made him think this was once again their first year and their lives lay before them instead of behind them. 

“Thanks for keeping an eye on Asuka all this time,” Fubuki said. He hadn’t stopped his careful massaging, even as Ryou relaxed into a warm puddle of pleased goo. 

“Now it’s your turn,” Ryou replied, his eyes closed so he could better focus on what he couldn’t see. Then his lips twitched. “Though I think it’s more likely that she’s going to watch out for you.” 

He could all but feel Fubuki’s befuddled blink, before the other laughed. “Are you sure about that?” 

“Yes. She’s stronger than you think.” Ryou wished he had the words to truly explain Asuka to Fubuki. She’d grown up so much during the time he’d been away. If he didn’t learn to adjust, to see her as the strong person that she was now, then Ryou foresaw a lot of pain in his future. He thought he’d almost miss seeing that. He dearly cared about Fubuki, but oh, did he have a lot to learn. 

Fubuki made a noncommittal noise of his own before he kept up the work on Ryou’s neck and shoulders, hands moving down Ryou’s arms to his wrists and then back up. Then he murmured a question that Ryou hadn’t heard in two years. 

“Did you want me to -” 

He didn’t need to finish it. Ryou knew exactly what he meant. He nodded quietly. Fubuki carefully adjusted his position and his arms slid around Ryou to rest around his waist. Ryou leaned back against him, growing more and more aware of Fubuki’s presence. Fubuki rested his head on Ryou’s, embracing Ryou as much as he could. Ryou was really a little taller than Fubuki but when they locked together like this, it didn’t matter. 

He doubted that he’d ever find anyone else he trusted this much to do this with him. But he wasn’t really looking for someone either. 

Fubuki’s embrace warmed a part of him that Ryou hadn’t even realized was cold until now. He relaxed into it, the sound of the waves crashing on the shore wiping out all of the tiny irritants that had built up over the last two years. He’d all but forgotten how good it felt to be held like this. 

He knew that they would have to return to Obelisk Blue sooner or later. He’d caught a rumor on the wind about Professor Chronos having some kind of special duel today but he wasn’t certain of who it would be against. If Fubuki hadn’t wanted to come down here and relax together, he might have been there watching. It was always fascinating to see the Professor duel, especially when the stakes weren’t all that high. 

At the least he could watch the duel on his PDA. He would have to turn it in before he left, so he might as well enjoy something good before then. Almost all of his thoughts ended up turning back to the fact he’d be leaving here for good all too soon. He suspected he wasn’t the only senior student having to deal with that. Nor was he the first or the last. 

_I wonder if I’ll be able to make it back to see Shou’s graduation._ He had already seen signs of his brother’s growing maturity and skill, and it wasn’t impossible that Shou could stand where he did one day, with the highest scores available so he would be able to choose who he dueled in the graduation duel. That he would _love_ to see. 

He knew he would have to make his own decision very soon. Though there wasn’t much of a decision to make. There was only one person he wanted to duel one more time. Once he’d thought to choose either Fubuki or Yuusuke. He’d never thought anyone else at Duel Academia could come close to his skill. He’d never been so happy to be wrong. 

Being wrong tended to have bad consequences. He still didn’t have the full story of what happened to Fubuki – there had to be more to it. Neither of them knew what happened to Yuusuke or all of the others who’d vanished back then. So he’d learned early on at Duel Academia that only through perfection could he be safe. 

Here in Fubuki’s warm embrace, he found another form of safety. He didn’t have to think about anything if he didn’t want to. Here he let his mind wash away on the sound of the waves and the feel of his best friend’s comforting arms. 

* * *

**Notes:** Neither of them have the words to describe it at this point in their lives, but I headcanon Fubuki as pansexual/panromantic and Ryou as asexual, with his romance options being somewhere between biromantic and homoromantic. He prefers a good cuddle session with someone he trusts to intercourse of any kind. At this point, those people include Fubuki, Asuka, and Yuusuke, with Edo to join the list later. One day I may write something that's a sequel to this but during the Hell Kaiser arc and/or Ryou and Yuusuke. Maybe Fubuki convincing Ryou to come help in season three.


End file.
